8 Photos That Show the Real State of Any Mom's House With Kids (Hint: Real F*cking Messy)

Updated on 6/25/2018 at 11:55 AM

POPSUGAR Photography/Natalie McCain

I've been doing this whole mom thing for 11 years now. When I think back to those first baby play dates, I actually laugh at how baby-proofed, dusted, vacuumed, and magazine-ready my house looked. I wanted to impress my mom friends with the facade that I actually kept my house clean on a daily basis. But over the years, I've dropped the act. If you come to my house now, there'll be plenty of signs that we actually live here. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I no longer feel the need to keep my house in perfect condition in case company comes by. I don't stress over my friends seeing my laundry piled up on the couch (I'll fold it . . . eventually).

I truly love it when I visit a friend and can tell she didn't stress-clean before I arrived. The toys on the floor tell me they've been playing with their kids. The crumbs on the table show me they enjoyed a meal with them. And the stack of clutter on the counter tells me they chose to live in the moment, rather than rush to pack things away. We put so much pressure on ourselves to impress others, but why? If your friend is going to judge you for having some clutter on your counters, then she's not a friend you need.

I asked some of my wonderful friends if I could photograph them in the messiest area of their home without them cleaning up first. The results are real, honest, hilarious, heartwarming, and just plain relatable. And since they were kind enough to let me into their homes, I kept their privacy intact by keeping them all anonymous. So, mama, know that you're not alone. Let your friends see the real you — clutter and all.

Lingering Dishes

"One of our family values is that 'people are more important than things.' Yes, it would be nice to have a picture-perfect home, but it's the relationships that are the most important thing. And sometimes that means the dishes linger in the sink while the kids and I read a book aloud together, or the table is streaked with paint from their latest art project. It also means that we work together on the cleaning that needs to get done, so the burden doesn't fall to one person. We work together and we play together!"

A Teacher's Home Sweet Home

"After eight hours of teaching 'my' 18, 6, and 7-year-old, I'm greeted with the organized chaos I call home sweet home. It may look like scattered disarray, but to my toddler and my kindergartner, this world of princess pink, a wobbly castle, and endless Barbie dolls are precious moments I can never imagine letting go. One day I'll look back at this and remember it as if it was yesterday."

Sentimental Scribbles

"My 4-year-old drew a 'growth chart' on the wall to measure herself and her 2-year-old sister. We talked about the appropriate place to draw ('only on paper, Mama!'), but I couldn't get too upset with her, and we haven't painted over it yet. It's a sweet reminder of the joys and chaos of this season of parenting and life."

Art Room/Tornado Room

"The house may look like a tornado for the time being, but at least they have smiles on their faces."

Don't Step on the Legos

"The piles of memories are endless and I'm happy to say I have yet to seriously hurt myself on a lego!"

Forever November

"Here hangs last year's calendar. I'm pretty sure I accidentally tossed this year's calendar or my daughter used it to cut up pictures. Such is life."

Cherishing the Mess

"Being immersed in my daughters' fanciful world of imagination is a magical fairy tale in itself. These precious moments seem to sift through my fingers so quickly. Cherishing their silly songs, butterfly kisses, and playing pretty, pretty princesses is my world, for one day it'll be my 'once upon a time.'"

Can You See Me?

"My mess, the kids' mess, dog hair — it all happens, and I've stopped caring so much. Can you see me? This is the corner I always try to get to, but life keeps pushing it further away. I watch the piles grow almost as fast as the children."